Bluntsnout Gregory

Stegastes punctatus, commonly known as the blunt snout gregory, is a damselfish belonging to the Pomacentridae family, native to the Indo-Pacific region. This tropical marine species is typically found in coral reef habitats at depths of 1 to 5 meters, reaching a maximum length of 13 cm.

Highly territorial, these damselfish are commonly located in areas with dead staghorn corals, which support the filamentous algae they consume. Adults are known for their territorial behavior, often charging at human intruders, which can be mildly alarming due to unexpected nips. Their aggression intensifies during reproductive periods, and they emit a distinctive clicking noise during confrontations. Stegastes punctatus aggressively defens its territory against most herbivorous and some other fish species to maintain a feeding advantage.

This species is oviparous, with distinct pairing during breeding. The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate, with the males responsible for guarding and aerating them. The distribution of Stegastes punctatus spans from the East African coast and the 🌊 Red Sea to the Line Islands, Society Islands (🇵🇫 French Polynesia), Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan), Bonin Islands, 🇳🇨 New Caledonia (🇫🇷 Overseas France), 🇹🇴 Tonga, and 🇫🇲 Micronesia. The fish is notably aggressive in protecting its "garden" of filamentous algae from other fish.